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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!brl-vgr!wmartin
From: wmartin@brl-vgr.ARPA (Will Martin )
Newsgroups: net.cycle
Subject: Re: almost funny trail riding story
Message-ID: <42@brl-vgr.ARPA>
Date: Tue, 10-Apr-84 13:49:53 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-vgr.42
Posted: Tue Apr 10 13:49:53 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 11-Apr-84 07:11:43 EST
References: <466@ihuxa.UUCP>
Organization: Ballistics Research Lab
Lines: 21

The story itself is definitely amusing; however, I wonder exactly
what the organizer was trying to teach the novices. Were they
supposed to stop before getting in the water and walk out to the low-stake
spot, to verify that the route was in fact passable? That's what I
would expect from a wise off-road rider -- safety, avoiding situations
where you are beyond your capabilities, and good judgement are all
much more important than completing the course in the fastest time.

Or were they expected to learn that "obvious" clues can many times
lead one to false conclusions? Also a good lesson; just stopping
and refusing to verify for themselves the true water depth was
also the wrong thing to do.

What worries me is the half of the group who merrily ignored the
possible problems and barged on through. They "won" the race;
were they in fact rewarded? They really should not have been, if so;
their behavior showed poor judgement. They're the kind of rider
I expect to have to pay taxes for to fund Park Rangers who will drag
them out of a ravine on a litter sometime in the future...

Will